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USU students weigh in on interracial couples, mixed-race kids By
Nicole Rusher It was not until the 1960s when segregation began to be erased in the United States that some tensions of society had loosened concerning race relations. With this new freedom, interracial unions grew in number and became more visible. American citizens have always credited the United States as the melting pot, where different cultures have the inalienable right to live in the manner they choose. Because of this privilege, races everywhere are mixing and marrying and creating new races. However, the debate continues as to how accepted it is and should be. Nearly 7 million Americans took advantage of the first-ever opportunity to check off more than one race on their 2000 Census forms. Over 40 percent of those were younger than 18, evidence that the American populace will be even more diverse in decades to come. "The fact that Census 2000 was the very first time that this nation identified with more than one race is huge," said Matt Kelley, publisher of Mavin, a Seattle-based magazine targeted at young, multiracial adults. At Utah State University, the majority of interracial couples on campus are primarily black man-white woman. According to Michael Fletcher's article, "Interracial Marriages Eroding Barriers," despite the fact that about 75 percent of interracial marriages in the United States involve black men and white women, it is this combination that sparks the most widespread condemnation among both blacks and whites. Sam Hansboro married interracially, black man-white woman, with Jesse Martin-Hansboro just over two years ago in Salt Lake City. "Unfortunately we live in a racist society and there are uneducated people who blame others' differences for their own inability to get ahead in life. But we must be lucky. We've only had a few problems with members of society looking at us differently and actually vocalizing it," Sam Hansboro said. Jesse Martin-Hansboro said her biggest concern was with their families. When they were both accepting it was not hard to get beyond anyone else's opinion. According to Erin Burnette in her article, "The Strengths of Mixed-Race Relationships," this is normal. Most of the added pressures that break up an interracial relationship come from the family. "The beliefs, hopes and fears of their culture and their family unit ultimately shape every individual, carrying lessons into adulthood. Not all families are the same, especially when dealing with others of different cultures." Rodney Cordono and Tracy Kast-Cordono are also from Salt Lake City and married interracially. They celebrated their 10th anniversary just under a month ago. "The only family pressure I felt was just the shock of the difference in the very beginning," Tracy Kast-Cordono said. "They were concerned with how society would treat us. But generally my family members taught me and lived day to day by judging people's actions, not their physical appearance. The debates are everywhere. You can read about them in magazines, see them on television, hear them on the news, and talk about them on the net. H. Ryan, a Utah State University student said, "I get the impression that the debate over race will never end and because of that, our nation will forever be divided. So why waste time trying to mix? That's all I have to say about that." In an interracial marriage discussion on the net, Coquinegra said, "I prefer a person who is 'like' me, be that racial, cultural, political, geographic, or what have you. If it is not because of a perceived defect in your own race, why not date who you want?" Roy, another regular net discussion participant said, "Race is everything. Just look at how the races have developed individually. Do you honestly believe that we're all compatible with each other?" Roy says the races should be separate for diversity's sake. Races do not need each other. Europeans ascended from ancient times without other races. He sees some races as simply unnecessary like the Australian Aboriginals and the Africans. "What can they do that the advanced races cannot? There is nothing accomplished by the races mixing. It was obviously not intended." Tracy Jackson also uses the Internet to make her statements about interracial marriages. She started a Web-based business after the birth of her first child who is half black and half white. She began selling "multicultural gifts that reflect the diversity of America". She is dissatisfied with the awareness of how many races are being created. She believes the level of tolerance needs to be raised. "The face of America is changing," Jackson said. "Children are children, period, but having biracial children for me, it was something that made my heart sensitive to see." Having biracial children is one of the main concerns with many members of society who speak against interracial marriage. Sam Hansboro said that either behind their backs or through the grapevine the main concern they hear of is how society will treat their children, "an idea that a multiracial child would have more problems adjusting to society than a person 100% of one race would." Although it has been a progressive movement that different races join and intermarry, it has not been an easy one. So many Americans are split on opinions of the "rightness or wrongness" of it. Children are often involved and solutions are rarely come across. Spencer L., a Utah State University student who grew up in Logan said, "Yeah, I do think it's becoming more accepted but acceptance doesn't necessarily make it right. It's not racism, it's separatism. I don't have a problem with mixing races in a community. I only have a problem with mixing races in a family." With the increasing number of interracial couples marrying either with the flow of society or against it, new races are dumped into America's melting pot every day. Some say it is the fastest way to really become one race. Others say it is the fastest way to destruction. "I have my wedding album. I think it's wonderful to see many races represented within family and friends. The pictures truly capture what a real melting pot is," said Jesse Martin-Hansboro.
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